Terrestria - The Night Before Christmas
by Argentum Vir
Summary: It was the night before Christmas and Silver was on his way home to his wife and children. As he's knocked out cold, something strange happens. He somehow ends up in Skyrim. Can he get home, or is it all just a dream?


It was the night before Christmas and the players were just getting started. Parties raged at all the hot spots in the city. The bars, the clubs, all of them filled to the brim. The snow outside fell in sheets and blanketed the landscape, as the footsteps of a single man faded into the storm. He trekked across the plains with but one thought. A single purpose: _To get home and spend Christmas with his family._

Silver had stayed a bit too late at his friend's party. As soon as Alex passed out, he bounced. Determined to make it home in time to bid his kids good night, he slogged through the waste deep snow drifts and frozen rivers. Finally he came to the Great Pine Forest; the natural divider of the plains and mountains. His cottage lay within the confines of the forest. As he stepped into the forest, he was buffeted by a strong wind and took a tumble into a rock.

When Silver awoke, the storm had stopped. The fresh coat of snow was smooth and unblemished. In the distance Silver could see the lights of a walled city. He decided to check it out. As he walked up the path, he was stopped at the gates by two guards dressed in an odd fashion. Their leather and fur armor looked war and cozy. The steel helmet gave them an air of intimidation and anonymity. Their shields decorated with the head of a majestic steed.

"Halt, who goes there?"

"Silver, a traveler who has lost his way. Does this town keep a warm inn?"

The guard laughed, "It does indeed. Warmth is a way of life for the Nords. Asking that is like asking whether a sweetroll is sweet."

Silver bowed and replied, "My apologies. I did not mean to insult. By the way, what city is this?"

A female voice called up behind him, "It is the city of Whiterun. I can see you're lost and unarmed. That's suicide in this land."

The guards stiffened at the sound of the voice. "Dovakiin, Thane of Whiterun. Welcome back, the feast is just beginning all we need is you."

"Thank you. You may open the doors to this traveler as well. He is no harm and I'd like to speak with him."

The guards saluted and parted the doors. The Dovakiin led Silver to a small cottage and welcomed him inside. "Welcome to my humble abode. This is my Housecarl Lydia."

Silver held out his hand to the heavily armored yet pretty woman. She accepted his handshake and smiled as she addressed her master, "Welcome back my Thane, the feast is about to begin. I've come to escort you."

"Go on ahead, I have something I wish to discuss with this man."

"As you wish."

When Lydia had left, the Dovakiin removed her helmet and revealed her stunning features, then shook her head. Her long red hair trailed behind her. "I am the Dovakiin, slayer of dragons and champion of the Empire. Who are you?"

"I'm Silver, I am a hero of Justice and I uphold the values of truth and love. My reach extends to the stars above. I'm the champion of Terrestria."

"Where on Nirn is that?"

"Well... Wait Nirn? Terrestria is a world not a city or state."

This seemed to shock her. She shook her head, and then counted on her hands. "This must be the prophecy the Elder Scroll foretold. Quickly, what weapon do you wield?"

"Bow and arrow. Though I seemed to have misplaced them."

The woman quickly walked up the stairs. She began to rummage around in a chest and pulled out a strange white bone bow and a quiver of arrows tipped with the same bone. "Here, I need you to take these. A dragon named Alduin will soon arrive and I'll need your help to drive him off. This is the only way you can return to your world."

The harsh roar of a large animal echoed in the distance. "Quickly, we must drive him off!"

The two stepped out into the cold and took their battle stances. Alduin's fell black form could be seen against the clouds. He descended and began speaking in a strange language. It seemed to vibrate Silver to his very core. The Dovakiin called out, "Not today Alduin." Then she shouted, "JOOR-ZAH-FRUL!"

Alduin began glowing a sickly blue, and Silver began firing arrows off into the beast's body. One, two, no three arrows flashed into his chest in the blink of an eye. The beast let out a roar of pain that seemed to shake time itself as he struggled to maintain flight. Soon he crashed into the ground and the Dovakiin pulled out a dueling saber and began to flay him alive. Suddenly, Silver saw his wife April holding the sword and skinning the dragon. Her red hair seemed to grow with each thrust, and each dodge. Then he saw two kids exit Honeyside.

"Glen, Mia, " he said as he saw his two children. Silver's breath seemed to get caught in his throat as he watched the dragon turn his attention to the kids.

Silver held out his hand and yelled at the top of his lungs, "NO!" His adrenaline kicked in as he nocked an arrow into the string and lined up the shot. The burst of superheated fire began to crawl out of the monster's mouth. As the arrow pierced his skull and ended him, Silver placed himself into the line of the fire and protected the kids.

When the fire was gone, no trace of Silver remained. The Dovakiin ran up and hugged her children as she silently thanked Silver for his selfless deed. There were some things the Elder Scrolls just didn't say.

Silver awoke to a mouthful of snow. He was completely buried underneath as though it were his grave. As he popped his head up, the sweet smell of turkey caught his nose. The Great Pine forest loomed in front of him like it had before. This time he was going home.

When he opened the door, his children swarmed around his legs. Both were asking what took him so long and his wife April came over and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. Her hands still gloved by oven mitts. "Welcome back honey," she said as she led him into the dining room. As he sat down, an item he'd never seen before caught his eye. Over the mantelpiece hung a white bow made of bone and a quiver full of bone. He smiled, maybe it hadn't been just a dream.


End file.
